Les Nelkin Pediatric Cancer Survivors Day - North Shore-LIJ Health ...

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Last September, Eisenhower Park was filled with the laughter of more than 700 pediatric cancer survivors and family members for the inaugural Les Nelkin Pediatric Cancer Survivors Day, organized by the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) of New York. Music carried across the large tent, where guests mingled, enjoyed an array of food and participated in a variety of carnival-like activities, from climbing the inflatable rock wall and making sand art to meeting Mr. Met and the New York Islanders’ Sparky. Most important, the day focused on celebrating the hundreds of children who survived cancer. Former child cancer patients of all ages were present, including Tracy Vicere, who is celebrating 22 years of survivorship. Since she was diagnosed at age 16 with two different types of cancer, Hodgkin’s disease Stage IIIA and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Stage IA, CCMC became Ms. Vicere’s home away from home. Despite the difficulties of treatment, she had the support of her family and made many great friends with the hospital staff and her team of doctors. She said, “I felt I was saved for a reason, and I am thankful to give back to CCMC through my foundation, Friends and Angels: 4 Kids First I Winter 2013 Les Nelkin Pediatric Cancer Survivors Day The Tracy Vicere Foundation.” The foundation hosts fund-raisers to benefit the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation at CCMC. The crowd was full of other inspirational voices, including cancer survivor and New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich. An MRI uncovered a rare form of bone cancer when he was 21 years old. Diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, he was told that he would not be able to play football again, and may never run again. “I decided that I wasn’t going to let cancer beat me,” Mr. Herzlich told the audience of survivors. His dream of playing football pushed him to not just be a survivor, but to be a “thriver.” A three-year cancer survivor, he encouraged everyone present to achieve his or her dreams even in the face of harsh obstacles. Kevin McGeachy, executive director of CCMC, echoed Mr. Herzlich’s sentiment. He remarked, “Today, we celebrate the amazing things that are happening here.” The event happened largely thanks to the support of Ruth and Harold Nelkin as a way to honor the memory of their son Les, who succumbed to a form of pediatric cancer. As a leading center of pediatric oncology, CCMC sees approximately 1,500 new cases of childhood cancer every year. Thanks to improvements in chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, more than 300,000 children, teens and young adults in the United States are survivors of childhood cancer and require ongoing care. To help meet the complex needs of survivors, CCMC pediatric oncologist/hematologist Jonathan Fish, MD, created the Survivors Facing Forward Program (SURFF). Dr. Fish said, “Though we cannot choose our challenges, Survivors Facing Forward will help survivors face the unique concerns ahead and will advocate for your well-being and serve as a resource.” Survivors also know the importance of a positive attitude, a fact evident in the smiles of the hundreds present.
Save the Date! the 2nd annual Pediatric Cancer Survivors day will be held September 15 at eisenhower Park. If you or your company would like to become a sponsor for this event, please contact Megan Stiles at 516-465-2565 or mstiles@nshs.edu. all proceeds of the event will benefit the Survivors Facing Forward Program. Thank You to Our GENEROuS SPONSORS Presenting Sponsors: ◾ Ruth and Harold Nelkin Courage Sponsors: ◾ Aflac ◾ Go4theGoal Foundation ◾ Honeysuckle Foundation for Children with Cancer ◾ Sarah Grace Foundation for Children with Cancer ◾ Robert Morris and The Rampart Group Hope Sponsors: ◾ Ariel and Marina Rackman ◾ Friends and Angels: The Tracy Vicere Foundation ◾ Keystone Electronics Corp. and the David Family ◾ Kenneth J. Herman Inc. ◾ New York Islanders Hockey Club ◾ New York Mets ◾ Professional Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy of Garden City and Back in the Game ◾ Ronald McDonald House of Long Island ◾ Sign-A-Rama of Huntington ◾ Sunrise Day Camp ◾ Weisman Law Group, P.C., uniondale, NY Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York I 5
Page 1 and 2: KidsFirst Winter 2013 • A publica
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Les Nelkin Pediatric Cancer Survivors Day - North Shore-LIJ Health ...

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